Advances in research and application of remote sensing-based snow monitoring products
SUN Xiyong1,2(), LIU Jiafeng1, FAN Jinghui1(), ZHANG Wenkai1, SHI Lijuan3, QIU Yubao3, ZHU Farong4
1. China Aero Geophysical Survey & Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources,Beijing 100083,China 2. School of Geography and Information Engineering,China University of Geoscience(Wuhan),Wuhan 430074, China 3. Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094,China 4. School of Land Science and Technology,China University of Geoscience(Beijing),Beijing 100083, China
Snow proves to be both an important factor in characterizing the surface cryosphere and a critical parameter for weather and hydrological phenomena. Employing remote sensing to conduct long-term and large-scale monitoring of snow morphologies and their changes plays a vital role in research into global climate change, investigations into hydrology and water resources, and geological disaster prevention. After decades of development, significant progress has been made in the field of remote sensing-based snow monitoring technology both in China and abroad. Accordingly, the products for remote sensing-based snow monitoring have become increasingly abundant, and the snow-orientated inversion algorithms have been continuously improved. This paper provides a summary of the existing, widely applied products after categorizing them into three types: snow-cover extent (SEC), snow coverage, and snow depth/snow water equivalent (SWE) products. Furthermore, this study organizes the commercialized remote sensing inversion algorithms used in existing, typical SEC and SWE products. The review of advances in the relevant scientific research reveals that, with the constant presence of sensors with high temporal and spatial resolutions in China and abroad and the support of both novel optical and microwave data sources and new technologies, researchers have gradually improved the accuracy of snow-orientated inversion algorithms by optimizing these algorithms based on regional characteristics. This will provide more support for continuously improving remote sensing-based snow monitoring products in the future.
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